So it’s Greg Beikert who will coach the linebackers after all. I had speculated that he would be promoted to the position when the Raiders fired former linebackers coach Mike Haluchak this offseason. Then the Raiders brought in Chuck Bresnahan as a defensive assistant and the thinking was that he would be the Raiders new linebackers coach and Biekert would serve as assistant.

Now the Raiders have announced that Biekert will indeed be the new linebackers coach.

Head Coach Hue Jackson said this of Biekert in a statement:

“I’m excited to re-connect with one of the true and great Raiders,” said Jackson. “His vision and mine are right in line with each other.”

Biekert re-joined the Raiders last July with the title of assistant coach on defense but he was always destined to coach the linebackers. He played middle linebacker for the Raiders in nine of his eleven NFL seasons. He was drafted by the Raiders in the seventh round out of Colorado in 1993.

After spending his first nine seasons with the Raiders, he spent his final two seasons with the Vikings. He was always considered an extremely smart player and one of the greatest Raider linebackers. He never missed a regular season game in 11 seasons, seeing action in 176 league contests with 155 starts. He also played in six playoff games for the Raiders. Needless to say, he outplayed his draft position.

The announcement on Raiders.com was sure to point out that Biekert “recover(ed) Tom Brady’s fumble in the ‘Tuck Game’ against the New England Patriots in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoffs.” Interesting way of slipping in there that it was indeed a fumble.

Biekert’s promotion now leaves us to wonder what this means for Chuck Bresnahan. If he isn’t the Raiders next linebacker coach, what will his job be? The Raiders have been holding out until the Super Bowl was over so they could talk to Winston Moss and/or Darren Perry about the vacant defensive coordinator position. The Cardinals announced today that Winston Moss is interviewing with them. It then seems curious timing for the Biekert announcement.